Moment Lost, Moment Found
by dgschneider
Summary: Everyone has thousand of lost moments in their lives and thousands of moments created or found - my answer to Bonesology prompt "Booth pops the question"


A/N What a wonderful prompt this has been - I've had so much fun reading all the responses. To be honest I wasn't going to write one. I am still very new to this and nervous and the more I read the more I realized seriously at a loss for story or a ring. The unique rings have been AMAZING! and then . . . well, then I had an idea. You'll have to tell me what you think of it my answer to sarahinprint's proposal prompt challenge :)

In answer to the Bonesology prompt "Booth Pops the Question", set post-Secrets in the Proposal:

Booth proposes to Brennan.

Rules:  
1. Less than 2,000 words  
2. No mention of Pelant  
3. Christine is not physically in the story (she can be mentioned, but she is not present)  
4. A unique ring is involved.

* * *

"Booth?" her voice echoed loudly through the house, wood floors do that, make everything echo more loudly. "I'm home." she settled the groceries on the kitchen counter. Immediately it was apparent that something wasn't right. Everything in her said something was very wrong. There was no answer from Booth.

"Booth?" this time there were a bit more concern in her voice, the living room looked had been ransacked cushions everywhere, toys, books, pillows, a couple of decorative boxes open their contents strewn, "Booth?" her tone became more insistent and concerned as she looked around, but quieter, more cautious. Feeling a little like maybe she shouldn't announce herself so prominently if someone were in their home she lowered her voice and moved deliberately.

Several of the kitchen drawers were opened, she hadn't noticed that at first and junk drawer contents partially relocated to the counter. This wasn't good. With everything they had endured over the last couple years she couldn't see this and think simple home invasion robbery. She saw something more sinister and worried for the safety of her family. Had there been a struggle? Were Booth and Christine alright? Booth would never give up without a struggle, and if Christine were with him, she shuddered at the thought. Panic setting in, her heart started to pound. Booth was supposed to have picked up Christine he was going to take her to the park and then to Max's for the weekend.

She heard movement upstairs, took a deep breath, reminding herself to keep her head, she went for her gun. Carefully, quietly she headed to the stairs. The large container of Booth's hockey sticks was overturned. She accidentally hit one of the sticks as she came across the entryway, the sound startled her. Cringing she froze and waited, her eyes squeezed shut for just a moment waiting for any reaction to the sound, there was none. Why them, she thought, why now? They had literally just felt the first relief from pressure in months. Just beginning to put their lives back together. Just about to spend their first romantic weekend alone, the two of them, no work, no pressures, no threats. She moved up the stairs one after another everyone of her senses in overdrive. Now she was worried, afraid, and angry that whoever was in her house was taking that away from her. Really angry.

She poked her head into her bedroom, the first bedroom you come to off the landing of the staircase. Drawers in the dresser and nightstands open, items carelessly thrown everywhere. Same with the closets. But no sign of Booth. The bangs and crashes of wood and plastic toys started to fill her ears competing with her raging heartbeat pounding hard and fast. Well, she told herself, at least I know where they are. She steadied herself, took several breaths and headed Christine's room, satisfied that she would have heard her daughter or Booth if they were in the house. Resolute in the fact that it was just her and the intruder or intruders. Determined and moved more and more by indignation she set out to resolve this thing quickly. So quickly that she forgot about the spot in the hall that creaked loudly, the spot they walked around so carefully when their daughter was sleeping she landed square in the middle of it. She swore it made her heart stop dead cold the pounding of which was painfully hard for a few seconds.

"Bones? Is that you?" She found herself gasping for air in relief. There was no danger, it was Booth. She lowered her gun and poked her head into their baby's room.

"What on Earth are you doing, Booth?" He was on the floor back leaned up against the completely empty toy box. Brightly colored fabric, wood, and plastics creating a virtual mine field between her and him. She picked her way across it and came to sit down beside him. He saw the gun in her hand, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead, he reached for it in a gesture that clearly said hand it over.

"Planning to kill me, Bones?"

She carefully passed the gun to him, "I thought there was an intruder."

He nodded looking sideways at her he grinned, "nope, just me."

She was almost afraid to ask what happened as she surveyed the fallout all around her.

He checked the chamber and set the safety then laid her gun down by his side. Mindlessly he picked up one of Christine's toys and fiddled with it as he talked. He fidgeted.

"I had great plans for this weekend," smiling at her the little wiggle of his eyebrows made her smile. "I picked up Christine. We had fun at the park but you know she gets tired and she was fusing on the way home so I started to tell her," he looked shyly at Bones, "I told her how much you mean to me, how much I love her mommy and how this weekend was going to be special, something mommy would always remember." His look, his smile, even the slight look of disappointment, Bones knew, she knew what he was referring to. "You know how she gets," she nodded. "So I let her hold the box and showed her the ring, your ring, the ring I was going to give you tonight." he looked so deflated, she threaded her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder. He leaned his head down resting on hers. "She was great," he chuckled, "made her so happy. We got home and I set her down to open the door and she bolted." She wasn't really running more like skittering, that toddler run, little knees lifted high, more of a dance than a run. He chuckled at the memory of it. "She was gone and I was distracted by getting all her baby stuff in, thinking about tonight, and I didn't get it back from her."He shook his head, "I didn't think about it until I got home from dropping her off. The junk drawer was open so I thought she might have traded it for some hidden treasure." Bones was confused judging by her expression, "I tried to remember everywhere she'd been." He rolled his head just enough to kiss her on the temple. "I'm sorry Bones, I think I may have just ruined my weekend plans."

"It's okay Booth, we've waited a long time we can wait a little longer."

But it wasn't okay, not for him, she had waited, they had waited, and he was tired of waiting. He looked at the little piece of costume jewelry he had been turning over and over in his hand. Quickly he turned facing her. "I know its not perfect, it's sure as hell not what I planned but, Bones, I am so tired of waiting. I can't wait one more minute." he held out the little plastic ring with the over sized clear plastic diamond in the silver setting. "Bones, you and me, we are just . . . we're good, well you're great actually. You're incredible, I am good on our own, but together, Bones, together we are so much more. We're amazing. Without you," he was getting so choked up he could hardly talk. "Without you I'm nothing really." She shook her head. No, no, she thought, he was so much more than he ever seemed to understand. She'd started to tell him when he crashed into her lips kissing her fiercely. "Shhhh. No, its my turn to talk. You are everything to me, everything, Bones, I promise when I find the ring I will do this right. I promise but until then, I can't wait. You shouldn't have to wait, not one more minute. Will you marry me, Temperance?"

Her eyes were filled with tears, what a long hard road they had traveled to get to this moment, but on it was every bit of happiness and joy she had ever found in life, all intertwined with Booth. "Yes, yes! I will marry you Booth!" he took her by the hand and slid the little plastic princess ring onto her finger as far as it would go, which was just barely over her first knuckle, she couldn't help but smile down at the gaudy thing. He grabbed her face with both hands and pulled her into a long passionate kiss, they would ignore the mess for now, make their way to the bedroom, celebrate, and then worry about the rest.


End file.
